You'll Never Make It On Your Own
by Powerof923
Summary: Cammie is a singer, who's dreams come true when she's offered a distinction in a prestigious talent agency. One problem: it's in Asia. The road to stardom isn't always easy. She must battle demanding training hours, jealous rivals, ruthless auditions, determined room-mates and one attractive male dancer, all in a foreign city! In this country only the most determined survive ...
1. Prologue

**AN: Hi guys, OK new story! The title might sound a bit cheesy but this is my new story as well as Gallagher Academy: The Final Stand so I hope you enjoy it! If you look at my page you'll see I'm a fan of K-POP and so I got this story idea from there. I thought it would be a good idea because for singers over there they have to undergo intensive training for years, with much more controlled (and hectic) schedules once there in a group. I thought there must be enough drama for this story and I don't know where I got the idea from, I just did. This is a preview of what's to come or more like a Prologue because I really despise 'trailers'. Anyway on with my story …**

You'll Never Make It On Your Own

Prologue:

_I walked in through the Great Hall doors of my boarding school: The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. The air was thick with the morning's gossip and conversations. The Academy was a boarding school for women all around the world chosen for specific talents-all of these were either physically advanced talents or academically smart people. The Academy (as we all referred to it) was in the small town of Roseville, Virginia and was tucked away in manicured grounds, and an old mansion which had been converted into the school by Gillian Gallagher, the founder._

_I looked around after grabbing a freshly baked croissant and butter on a plate and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Scanning the crowds I finally found my friends and walked over to where they were sitting. I squeezed into a seat opposite Beth and next to Isobel and Emma. I quickly dominated the croissant with butter, watching it slowly melt into the pastry before taking a slow bite. I gave a small mmm before finishing it off slowly so as to make the flavour last in my mouth all morning. _

_Suddenly a voice called my name._

"_Cam, Cam, CAM!" I turned to look at Catriona Howard and saw what she was holding. An envelope. Not just any envelope but the envelope. My heart ran cold and started to thump loudly behind my rib-cage in jittery starts. My stomach flew upside down and I almost wanted to be sick. I'd not really ever been nervous before but as I looked at the letter in Cat's hand I wanted to be sick._

_That envelope contained what I wanted to be when I was older, what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I wanted it to contain good news so badly. Cat walked closer and closer until she was standing next to me, slowly whilst looking at my face to see my reactions, she handed me the envelope. I took a deep breath and opened it. _

_It's just words Cammie, it's just words. They can't harm you'_

'_But they bloody well can destroy your dreams', my mind was on over drive anticipating the worst. I could see it now. You were rubbish. You're ugly. You can't dance. You're clumsy. You're disorganised. You're not cut out for this life. You're too nervous. Or the worst … You can't sing._

"_Cammie," Cat said quietly "Open it." I nodded in her direction and calmed my heaving stomach. Then slowly ever so slowly I pulled the letter, from its container that had carried it many miles._

**OK guys there you go. You'll find out more as this is a bit like a flash forward. I'll go from the beginning for the next chapter but like I said this is just a prologue. Many of you may find this story a bit weird, but if you're a fan of K-Pop (like me) or even if you aren't then I hope you enjoy it. It will be a little different but it will be a lot of a harder life for Cammie to be a K-POP singer than a celebrity in Hollywood and you're about to see why! OK Review please let me know how you'll accept this and if you want I can send you some songs and bands for you to YouTube, so maybe you can understand more about K-POP (it's soooo addictive!) Okay see you soon bye! Woop!**


	2. Chapter 1

You'll Never Make It On Your Own

Chapter 1

I shut the door of my dormitory behind me then, double checking no one was around ran to the bedside table drawer. After scrambling through the deep mess of paper, files and photos, I finally found it: my iPod. I gave a sigh of relief, then checking the coast was clear, preceded by clicking the play button and letting the music fill my head. Giving out a contented breath, I flopped down on my bed and let the sweet melodies and toe-tapping music take control of my thoughts. It was addictive this music, it was fun, it was sexy. It was anything it wanted to be because if there was one thing K-Pop was it was _varied_. You name it and there was a group who'd either dabbled in it or specialised in it: rock, rap, pop, electronic, bubble-gum pop, the list went on for ever.

Slowly as I closed my eyes, my feet started tapping to the music and my arms followed the dance movements above my head. I started to hum the song quietly at first so as not to be heard, then loudly singing the lyrics that I would probably never understand.

"_Naega jay jal naga, __**(I am the best)**_

_Naega jay jal naga,__** (I am the best)**_

_Naega jay jal naga __**(I am the best)"**_

The song changed and so did the mood. And one by one as I went through the _long _playlist I got so absorbed, I failed to notice Catriona Howard, standing above me.

"Whatcha listening to?" she inquired ever so innocently. But her normal words through me off guard and I panicked. Not wanting to release my secret I lied. Again.

"Nothing! Just umm … Rihanna! The song is Umbrella!" I mumbled out an answer as quick as I could. Catriona raised an eyebrow.

"That's fairly old now, isn't it. Well anyway, it's a good song, can I listen?" she asked, again so innocently. Giving a death glare to whoever had it in for me up in Heaven, I lied yet again.

"No, because my battery is on red. I shouldn't be listening anyway," mumbling out an excuse before switching off the song. And like that the music was gone and so were the fantasies. Catriona gave a quick, disbelieving nod before getting up from my bed and going into the small bathroom. I groaned when she was out of ear shot and flopped back down on the bed. I suppose she was going to finad out at some point: they all were. Beth, Isabel, Catriona, Manon and Emma. But what would they say? How would they react when they find out that Cammie Morgan liked to listen to music from a small, south-east Asian country over music that was in her own language. I'd be laughed at, scorned. I didn't want them to look down on me but then again I wanted them to know.

I wanted to know who I really was, but I knew me. I also knew my dreams and I knew that if they found out about K-Pop then they really would doubt if I was entirely in my right-state of mind. What would they say if they decided that I wanted to be a K-Pop singer over a normal English-speaking singer. That I'd choose fame over1000 miles away over fame in my own country. But I would rather, I don't know why but I would.

Sighing again I went to my laptop and logged onto YouTube. Maybe I could watch some SloMoGuys or Bubzbeauty to cheer me up (**I don't usually do this, because I don't like doing this but if any of you haven't seen these guys then watch them. Slo Mo Guys do what the name says and Bubzbeauty is a beauty and hair guru, but both of them are either really bubbly or really funny!) **I clicked onto my homepage and there it was: a new video uploaded by SM Entertainment.

2012 Auditions!

I chuckled to myself, at least before I saw an English version of the video. Slowly, cautiously, I clicked on it and watched as two beautiful singers stood in a room advertising the Auditions that you could attend if you lived in the USA. I sighed, I'd never be able to get to one of those, mum wouldn't take me seriously. But it's what they said next that really surprised me

"Or if your unable to attend one of these auditions, then send us an e-mail at the web address below. For further details log onto our website! We look forward to watching your applications!"

And then the video ended. And instantly my mind raced with ideas. I could do that. I could audition via e-mail, no-one would know. And that way if I didn't get in, no-one would tease me. Look down on me.

I could actually audition, and slowly the mouse on the computer hovered over the e-mail box and browsed down until it reached 'Create New Draft'. I clicked.

**AN: OK so there you go! I wanted to wait 2 or so weeks just so I could see how people would respond to this story! OK shout outs go to … candyapplepandabear, they're not puppies, Embyr7, The Good Chameleon, Fanfictionwriter28 and I'm fairly sure that's it … oh wait! Now I think this is how it is; Zoehumi? I'm sorry about this but basically I deleted the e-mail that had your name on it by accident thinking it was an annoying Facebook one. And the I was like NOOOOOOO! So I've tried to keep that name in my memory for the past 2 weeks. I am so sorry if I've remembered it wrong but you were one of the first people to contact me (in some way) so thank you! Anyway this was the first chapter I hope you enjoyed it and it's about to pick up in pace soon! Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Gallagher Girls, it's plot line or the characters. I only own this story line! Ok until next time … woop! (my favourite word)**


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Ok so it has been longer than a while. MUCH longer. For that I apologise (I know there aren't that much readers anyway!). The reason was I began to wonder if I wanted to continue. Then I decided I'd stick with it simply because I 'd started. The song in the previous chapter was I Am The Best by 2NE1. It's really addictive even if the video is a bit like Lady Gaga! Anyway I have decided to continue this yet I don't expect much from it. Thank you to … Awsome KC2622, booklover484 and beamarielirazan! You guys are awesome! This will be a side project for the Summer whilst I focus more on my other story 'Gallagher Academy: The Final Stand' and my book (separate from FanFiction!). Enjoy!**

You'll Never Make It On Your Own

Chapter 2

It had now been three months since I had sent that e-mail, yet I had worked on getting it perfect for an entire week. Sure the website had seemed all casual with simple instructions like filling out your name, birthday, where you live, height and weight but all that seemed irrelevant. Their main focus was whether you had potential and I knew it. I'd tried to find the most complicated dance routine I could find to one of the songs by SM Entertainment. I had decided immediately that I had to use songs by the company I wanted to join because in my mind it showed determination, precision and loyalty. Most of all loyalty. I suppose that's something they want, an artist whose loyal, after all it's not unheard of for them to have artists leave them for want of a better deal.

I'd practiced the routine until I could do it almost as slick as the group. The song I already knew would be alright, I could sing easily, like it was second nature. My friends had always told me I had an incredible voice but I didn't believe them. Partly because I didn't know whether to believe them or not and partly because they're my friends; they'd support me in anything even it meant lying so as not to hurt my feelings. Sure I'd gone through the song a bit though – several times a day! – just to practice. That way I could know when to breathe. It was a challenging song yet I didn't want to be dreary and do a ballad as they probably receive load of those so instead I went for something more uplifting.

When the time had come to finally video myself, I made sure I was well away from everyone. I wore loose, natural clothing so that I could dance easily and not look to over the top. It had taken 4 attempts to get the dance perfect however the song was good on the first try. I added the videos to the e-mail, along with several photos of myself. I then re-read it all and re-read it again. It was acceptable and so I clicked 'send'.

It was last month when my secret came out though. I had been listening to a song on my speaker whilst dancing along. Everyone was at dinner but I had excused myself, I wasn't that hungry. As the song went on I started to sing, quietly at first but then louder as my mind and body became carried away with the music. The dancing I'd been doing cautiously became more and more energetic. I was becoming more and more oblivious to my surroundings like usual, so when the door opened and Catriona walked in, I had no idea. I continued to move my body to the chorus whilst singing with all my heart in a foreign language.

_Michigesseo na ije kkeutnatdae__** (I'm going crazy, as they say 'you're done now')  
><strong>__Deo isangeun nae jariga eobtdae__** (They say 'there's no room for you anymore')  
><strong>__Nae moksoril nopyeojwo nopyeojwo nopyeojwo__** (Raise my voice, my voice, my voice)  
><strong>__I eumageul deo keuge__** (Turn up the music)  
>Everybody time to rock<strong>_****

_Da chiugo Pump up the volume! (Up up) __**(Take it all away, Pump up the volume)**__  
>Deudgi shirheo Pump up the volume! (Up up) <em>_**(I don't want to hear it, pump up the volume)**__  
>Galsurok deo byeonhaejil geoya ah dokhage <em>_**(I will change as time goes by and get stronger)**__  
>oh deo <em>_**(Oh more!)**__  
>Uh uh uh uh uh Uh uh uh uh uh <em>

_oh deo (__**Oh more!)**__  
>Uh uh uh uh uh Uh uh uh uh uh<em>

"What the Hell is that?" came a shout from behind me and my body froze. I turned around to see Catriona standing in the doorway looking at me as if in any second, I would sprout horns. I gulped. Damn, damn, Damn! In the background the song that had been cheering me up, now sounded like my funeral anthem.

"erm … a song," I tried weakly but Catriona looked at me with eyes like daggers and before I could stop her she ran across the room, ripping my iPod from the stereo and switching it on. Her eyes scanned the screen taking in the five beautiful yet Korean singers and her brow furrowed.

"Volume Up by 4 Minute," she mumbled to herself under her breath. My arms were limp at my side and I made no attempt to stop her. The beating heart in my chest was hammering as she continued to listen to the music streaming out in a foreign language, degrading my pride and increasing my humiliation with every word. I wanted to shrink, shrink into a hole and never come out. But like all times as mortifying as this, it wasn't an option. Catriona tore her eyes from the screen and raised her gaze to my face. She took in the huge blush in my cheeks.

"What kind of song is this? … What is it?" she whispered. She finally seemed to recognise my shock and horror and so stopped the music from playing. I stayed silent.

"What … What were they even saying?" her tone was a mixture of emotions, part whisper, part shock, part … mock. And I'd never been more truthful than when I answered.

" I don't know."

I told her everything then, every last bit of it. She listened intently and didn't say a word. About how I found out about K-Pop, how it grew on me and finally how much I'd come to love it. I told her why it was so good in my eyes and about the dances and how the music was different and every song unique. It was without a doubt one of the most cringy moments of my life, I was giving away freely one of my most darkest secrets. It felt like I was telling my best friend I'd kissed her boyfriend. Or on that level at least. When I was finally finished Catriona was lying on my bed beside me, she stayed silent for a minute or two before finally saying something.

"Well that was certainly not what I expected," she said quietly. "You know I've been wondering about it for a while. You became so secretive. We weren't allowed on your iPod, you weren't as up to date on the charts, you sometimes went off on your own but most of all," she said looking at me in the eye.

"You stopped singing. You always sung. Here, there everywhere in fact. And then you just stopped … I thought I'd come and follow you when you excused yourself from Dinner. I was sort of hoping I'd find out what had made you more reclusive," she looked at my wide eyes and raised her hands in defence.

"Not that you're completely alone or quiet all the time it's just you didn't talk AS much. And then I saw you dancing!" she gave a small half-laugh "and when I couldn't tell what the song was saying it all fell into place."

She got up about to leave when I called her back "Catriona? Thanks," she looked confused and so I laughed for the first time.

"For being a good friend and understanding. You never know … maybe you'll like it!" She laughed and gave a shrug. "I'm going to go downstairs, you stay here and continue dancing … is there … anything else I should know about?" and that's when my breath hitched. I still hadn't told her about the audition. Sure I hadn't heard back from them but she had no idea just how serious I was about it. About the audition and about the chance of becoming a K-Pop singer.

I weighed the pros against the cons. I'd been so truthful tonight, why not tell her? What harm could it do? Then I'd have someone I could confide in when I got the refusal letter. Plucking up my last ounce of courage I said it.

"I auditioned to join SM Entertainment – the most prestigious of agencies over there … I want to become a singer." I'll never forget the look on her face. The teasing smile was wiped off and it was just a blank expression. She looked at me for a couple of seconds and then whipped round and stalked out of the door.

Since then Catriona had finally come to terms with that bit of news and we were on speaking terms again. What do you mean, I hear you ask? Well after I told her, she became fairly hostile to me. She wouldn't talk to me for a couple of weeks but finally one day found me when I was alone in the school grounds. She just sat down next to me and said quietly that 'I was a bloody idiot for joining and that SM Entertainment were stupid if they didn't take me. My other roommates didn't know yet and we intended to keep it that way.

This morning (three months after the audition) I walked in through the Great Hall doors of my boarding school: The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. The air was thick with the morning's gossip and conversations. The Academy was a boarding school for women all around the world chosen for specific talents-all of these were either physically advanced talents or academically smart people. The Academy (as we all referred to it) was in the small town of Roseville, Virginia and was tucked away in manicured grounds, and an old mansion which had been converted into the school by Gillian Gallagher, the founder.

I looked around after grabbing a freshly baked croissant and butter on a plate and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Scanning the crowds I finally found my friends and walked over to where they were sitting. I squeezed into a seat opposite Beth and next to Isobel and Emma. I quickly dominated the croissant with butter, watching it slowly melt into the pastry before taking a slow bite. I gave a small mmm before finishing it off slowly so as to make the flavour last in my mouth all morning.

Suddenly a voice called my name.

"Cam, Cam, CAM!" I turned to look at Catriona Howard and saw what she was holding. An envelope. Not just any envelope but the envelope. A response from my audition. My heart ran cold and started to thump loudly behind my rib-cage in jittery starts. My stomach flew upside down and I almost wanted to be sick. I'd not really ever been nervous before but as I looked at the letter in Cat's hand I wanted to be sick.

That envelope contained what I wanted to be when I was older, what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I wanted it to contain good news so badly. Cat walked closer and closer until she was standing next to me, slowly whilst looking at my face to see my reactions, she handed me the envelope. I took a deep breath and opened it.

It's just words Cammie, it's just words. They can't harm you'

'But they bloody well can destroy your dreams', my mind was on over drive anticipating the worst. I could see it now. You were rubbish. You're ugly. You can't dance. You're clumsy. You're disorganised. You're not cut out for this life. You're too nervous. Or the worst … You can't sing.

"Cammie," Cat said quietly "Open it." I nodded in her direction and calmed my heaving stomach. My eyes took in the post stamp in the corner and the postage marks subtly making out the words – Seoul, South Korea. My hands slowly found their way to the seal and then slowly ever so slowly I pulled the letter, from its container that had carried it many miles.

**So there you have it! The first chapter in AAGGEESS! I'm not expecting many reviews from this one. There will be a new chapter for Gallagher Academy : The Final Stand and since it's almost end of year I can update more frequently! The song in this chapter is 'VOLUME UP by 4 MINUTE'! It's an awesome song and I recommend it to anyone! The song is directed towards haters of the group and each stanza being sung represents the singers who are singing them. For example Hyuna (the sexbomb) has a line which goes like "they say they don't like me because I'm too easy … that my time is over" and Gayoon (the lead singer) "you used to dance and smile to my voice every day, now you say you don't want to hear my voice anymore". Anyway, really good song! REVIEW please!**


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Ok, hi there! I realise it has been a while! I'm sorry for that! However, I am now focusing 100% on trying to finish my two stories. I'm going to go for a record and say 4 weeks and Gallagher Academy: The Final Stand will be done and I don't know how long with this one! All I know is that I'll finish as soon as I can. I'm trying to write my own book but I'm distracted by FanFiction and its reviews system so it's being neglected. I need to really focus on that as I've only done 3 chapters and the ideas in my head keep buzzing around! Ok then shoutouts go to … (drum roll please) … Angel4eva-15 (you know my story is about angels but it's more serious than this story), stephaniek (I love your story! I remember reading it 'cos you asked me to in a review on Gallagher academy : The Final Stand), tweak-freak-278 (Loving your penname!), bubzchoc (I am actually addicted to chocolate and I wonder where you got the whole bubz thing from!), JessTeapot (I used to have a toy teapot when I was younger), daniegoodeoxox (I wished I was Katy Goode. Sadly though Zach seems to only have eyes for Camme ). OK then on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Gallagher Girls Series. **

You'll Never Make It On Your Own

Chapter 3

'Ok, deep breath … I can't do this. Count of three … 1 … 2 … 3!'

I pulled the letter out of the envelope and unfolded the thick paper. My hands shaking, I scanned my eyes across the words. Some part of me registered my name in the 'dear so and so' but other than that it was like I had become dyslexic. The words all jumbled together into one vocabulary mush. I frowned.

"Well," came Catriona's reply, trying desperately to keep her voice under control but failing miserably. I looked up from the letter at my friends faces. They were staring at me as if I was mad. I handed the letter to Catriona "You read it," I said quietly. She looked at me confused so I mouthed 'I'm too nervous to comprehend it." She nodded and I felt Isabel and Beth's gazes on me.

"What is in that stupid letter, which is worth all this fuss," Beth cried, obviously pissed off she was out of the loop. Beth's always in the loop, even when we tried to organise a surprise party for her. Turned out she found Manon's list of things to get for the occasion under her bed. She at least had the decency to tell us she knew _after_ the party had finished and not before though.

I was about to explain to her, when a hand with an iron grip clamped over my wrist and dragged from the Grand Hall. Catriona didn't stop walking until we were well and truly away from everyone in a long-since deserted corridor. She then proceeded to take affore-mentioned letter and stamp on it. My heart dropped like a lead stone in a lake.

"I didn't get in, did I," I whispered saying it more like a statement of fact than a question. She must be mad because they sent bad news that would explain her stamping on it. She snapped her head up and stopped grinding the message into the stone floor.

"Oh no, you got in all right." She said bitterly, sniffling "In fact you didn't just get in, you get a scholarship," She then slowly sat down by the wall, punching it in the process. I stood there stunned.

"I g-g-got in?" I whispered, not even sure why I was doubting her. She nodded and held up the slightly … er … destroyed message. I picked it up gingerly from her hand and smoothed out the crumpled paper.

_To Cameron Morgan,_

_You have recently auditioned to join SM Entertainment, in the 2012 Open Auditions. Your application was well put together and the videos show us you are a very talented performer. Your dancing was well rehearsed, precisely in time and of a high quality standard. Your voice was strong and pure and showcased an impressive vocal range for someone of your age. It was your singing in particular that set your audition apart from the others. _

_The Board have decided to offer you one of the three scholarships to join SM Entertainment in Seoul, South Korea. This includes free travel, free boarding, free training and free education. Although a place in a group later on in life isn't guaranteed, your chance is increased quite a bit by this scholarship. If you do not wish to join SM Entertainment then your scholarship will not be given to someone else and instead discontinued until next year, in short this opportunity is for you and you only._

_However if you do choose to join us know this; we only accept/want individuals who are willing to give 100% effort in all aspects. Should you fail this in any way large or small then you will be expelled immediately. _

_We hope you choose to join us,_

_The Board of SM Entertainment_

With the letter came several forms of contact including, a phone number, fax number and e-mail address.

I fell in a heap on the floor next to Catriona. "So … you gonna join then?" she said quietly after a while. I looked over at her to see her crying. I frowned.

"Why are you upset?" I asked throwing my arm around her shoulder's despite the fact that I was several inches smaller than her. She tried to smile but failed miserably. She brushed the tears from her wet eyelashes.

"Well, you got in," she started and I raised my eyebrows, " in fact you didn't just get in … you got in with a bloody scholarship. One of three out of the millions that auditioned. Which means you have to go, you … like … have no choice. I was sort of hoping you wouldn't get in. I knew it was 50/50 but … I thought if you weren't accepted you'd get over it eventually. But you did get in and now you're gonna have to move to Korea. I mean, come on! Could you have picked a country that was further away from Virginia!" I laughed at her but her words were sinking in. I'd move away from my friends and family – well mum – without small opportunities to see them. Did I really want to leave all the good things I had here … for a decade or so of hard work, pain and exhaustion? I'd never really thought how difficult this choice would be. And then a thought pulled me out my thoughts. What would mum say?

"What the Hell is this Cameron?" my mum – and headmistress of the Gallagher Academy – glared at me across the top of her office desk. I shrunk slightly further under the intensity of her gaze.

"Is this a joke or something? 'Cos guess what Cameron Ann Morgan! I don't find it very funny" she shouted in my face, using the full-name card for maximum effect. Uh oh . Every child knows' they're in trouble when their parent/s use the full-name card.

"It's not a joke mum … it's the truth," I replied quietly, slightly scared of her exploding again. She didn't. Instead she walked around the heavy oak desk and collapsed onto the sofa.

"Is this the whole K-POP thing? Because I remember you once mentioned being a K-POP singer but I never thought you were being serious. Instead you actually bloody auditioned … and without telling me as well?" she started off quietly but her voice raised in pitch until she was back to her shouting. She shook her head.

"And you got a scholarship," she whispered so quietly I thought I hadn't heard her. She shook her head again and then turned her head up to look at me in the face. I stood there slightly perturbed by her rant but bowled over once again by the look in her eyes. If I hadn't known better I would have called it betrayal. But I did know better and so I knew that the one emotion in my mother's mind was desperation.

"I mean," she started "what am I even supposed to say?" she was asking herself more than me but I still answered anyway.

"Yes?" I tried, maybe a little optimistically. There was always a chance wasn't there?

"I want to Kiddo. I really do. But … this is too huge. I'm sorry. I'll think on it in the morning but …" her voice trailed off. She got up and started heading towards the door that lead to her bedroom. I suppose it was bedtime after all. I'd waited all day to tell her.

"Please mum. I want this more than I've ever wanted anything else. I've dreamed this moment for months no scratch that years! Please mum, I promise this is more than a passing whim and I know you can tell! PLEASE?" she stopped half-way between the door and me. She turned her head slightly so I could see the edge of her eye.

"You're my only family Cam. I … I … I need to sleep on it" And then she closed the door behind her.

"MUM!" I asked desperation filling my mind. She was right, I was her only family and I realised that that would cloud her decision more than anything. I was fighting an uphill battle and I hadn't even started yet.

"And then what?" Catriona whispered. I shrugged.

"She just walked into her room," I whispered back. We were sitting on my bed looking out of the window and I had just finished the recount of what had happened in my mum's office. I sighed and rested my head on my knees. The others (Beth, Isabel, Manon and Emma) were all asleep.

"She said she'd think on it but … I don't think it's going to happen." I sighed again defeated.

"You know what you need to do?" Catriona said with a mischievous grin. I raised my eyebrow at her face "You need to bust out of here and go in the dead of night!" I laughed to myself. Sure the plan had its merits but I couldn't do that.

Then a cough rang out behind us. Slowly, Catriona and I turned around to see the sombre faces of Beth, Isabel, Emma and Manon staring at us with that you-better-tell-us-now-or-we'll-kill-you-in-your-sleep look. Emma even had the baseball bat to prove it. I laughed awkwardly.

"Hey guys," I tried but Manon was having none of it.

"Spill," she demanded. I looked at Catriona for help but the look on her face told me I wasn't going to get it.

"Alright then," I started. And for the third time I went through the long speech about everything and for once, they didn't interrupt – well actually Isabel tried to several times but Beth kept slapping her hand over her mouth before she had a chance to say anything. When I was finished I looked up at their faces. No-one said anything for a while, and the silence was beginning to get awkward.

"Guys …" I started but before I could finish Emma cut me off.

"Can I hear some?" she said with an excited grin. I blinked slightly shocked. I thought it would take more persuasion than this to get them to even listen. Before I knew it I was reaching over grabbing my iPod and showing her some of my favourites.

_Eodi handon dugo bwa. Neo eobshi do __**(Show up once and you'll see)**_

_Jal jineol geoya, geo geoya, naege mal gol jima __**(I'm fine without you. Don't talk to me)**_

_Bam haneure (eh eh), Mareul hae (eh eh) __**(I tell the night sky)**_

_Neottaemune (eh eh), jeoldae ulji anha __**(That I won't cry because of you)**_

_Jeo hanneure (eh eh), maengsehae (eh eh) __**(I promise the night sky)**_

_Dubeon dashin neol boji ahnget dago __**(That I will never see you again)**_

_nam mollae huljjeok huljjeok huljjeok huljjeok ul daga __**(As I cry, cry, cry, cry secretly)**_

_na honja ttubeok ttubeok ttubeok gireul geod daga __**(As I walk, walk, walk, walk by myself)**_

_ni saenggake tto gabjagi hwak yeol bada __**(Just the thought of you makes me mad)**__  
>yokhago shipjiman, geurae bwatja nae ibman apeungeol <em>_**(Even if I feel like cursing you, I don't**__**because my lips would hurt)**_

The next morning my at breakfast my mum gave the usual announcements, I watched her. She seemed more tired today, her eyes carried dark shadows and her shoulders were hung down. Nevertheless her voice still boomed around the hall as everyone listened.

" … and now, I've been informed of some startling news." Oh boy. My blood ran cold. And I'm fairly sure that wasn't from the iced water in my hand half way to my mouth either. My room-mates looked at me with tired looking faces that matched my mum's. We'd spent all night looking up videos. I'd actually converted pretty much all of them and they'd been humming songs under their breath all morning. But the news wasn't what I expected.

"The teachers have told me that some of them promised you a Talent Show around Christmas time." Excited whispers filled the hall and a sigh of ease filled my body. The talent show was actually pretty cool.

"However many teachers are unwilling to allow this to happen after certain participants were teased about entering last year." I remembered that, it was awful behaviour from the younger years but the students who'd done it had been punished accordingly, so I guess they got their just deserts.

It was at this point my mum turned to look at me square in the eyes.

"I however think it is a great opportunity for you to discover a new part of yourselves and so I say … yes." My heart soared as I took in the double meaning of her words. She ripped her gaze from mine. "The talent show will go ahead."

I sat there gobsmacked. Mum had let me go. Mum had let me go. Mum was letting me go. My friend's turned to look at me with equally shocked faces. Izzy was the first to peak after five minutes.

"I guess that's that then."

I was going to join SM Entertainment.

**Ok then, there you go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's a bit boring now but the whol plot does increase in pace and gets much more exciting. Plus the normal Gallagher Girls characters will appear soon! But you can see now that if she's going to join then I can't have them as current school girls because they won't be in the whole story! Please review! More reviews = quicker update!**


	5. Chapter 4

You'll Never Make It On Your own

Chapter 4

"Have you got your suitcases?" Mum asked me as we stood in the main entrance to the Gallagher Academy. I had to laugh; they were behind me after all. Surely she could see them.

"Mum!" I said between chuckles, she looked at me questioningly and I pointed behind me. She smiled to herself and went to back to smoothing down my sleeves and hair.

"Are you sure everything's in there, Kiddo? We can always double check. You can't exactly come back once you're in … in … Seoul." Mum's brave face wavered a bit. I smiled again at her.

"Mum, you're the one that checked it. Seven times! Everything is in there!"

"Of course, Kiddo," Mum laughed at herself. "Are you ready then?"

I looked behind me at my five best friends; Emma, Manon, Isabel, Beth and Catriona. The corridors were deserted; it was just the five of them, my Mum and I. It was too early for lessons (or even breakfast to have started). The now empty school felt oddly eerie. The absence of noisy school girls and bustling bodies resonated around like a thick layer of fog. My friends all nodded at me, Emma sniffling to herself and Catriona half-smiling. I turned back to Mum and nodded.

"Okay, then. To the airport." We cheered and walked out into the 5 am morning air towards the car.

After an entire two hour car journey to the airport we exited quietly. The trip had been loud and full of laughter. Manon had revealed that the five of them had the rest of the day off. She didn't need to say why, I understood perfectly without the explanation. I'd been to this particular airport before many times and every single time I'd been so excited. Usually it was because I was going on holiday but not this time. This time I was going to close one door and open another. This time I was nervous, to the point I almost felt sick.

The clouds were a dismal grey and hanging low in the atmosphere. The air was cold but despite the conditions the car park was fairly busy.

Isabel threw her arm over my shoulder and Beth on my left. We walked like that together into the unnaturally white, unnaturally clean building.

The roof towered above the cavernous space below. On the right-hand side, I could see the check-in desk. And there half-way between queue's and us at the entrance way was a man of medium height. His black hair was combed to perfection and his crisp, grey business suit was without a wrinkle or a crease. Everything about him screamed that he was one of the most meticulous people I'd ever met. His hands were clasped behind his back and he had a small, black travel suitcase by his side. As he saw us he grabbed his suitcase in his hand and strolled towards us at a brisk pace.

"Miss Morgan?" he asked in heavily accented English when he finally was within a metres distance from us. I nodded numbly, I could see now, from his height, his tanned skin and the shape of his eye, that he was the person SM Entertainment had sent to accompany me to Incheon Airport, Seoul. He smiled broadly and I felt ever so slightly at ease. Even if he was a very punctual man, at least he seemed to be nice.

"I am Lee Chin-Ho. I am your escort to Incheon Airport." He bowed formally at me and I gave him a small smile in response. He noted my unease.

"I will give you a few minutes," he said and then walked a distance away towards the check-in desks.

I turned towards my Mum and my best-friends. The six people I cared about so much. They looked back at me with glistening eyes, and small smiles on the faces. Emma engulfed me in a hug so tight, I could barely breathe, but I didn't care, I hugged her back just as tightly.

"Good luck," she whispered in my ear, before sniffling again.

"Thanks," I replied. I didn't know what to say. What do you say. Emma released me and then as soon as she let go, Beth replaced her.

"Promise, me you'll contact us in any form every day. Okay?" She asked I nodded at her. My eyes were now beginning to spill, threatening to test the new waterproof mascara, they'd made me wear. My heart ached at the thought of leaving them but I wanted this so badly. Whenever I thought of doing what I wanted to do, I felt whole and complete, like all my life I'd been missing something. But now I was going to have to give up a huge part of it.

I threw myself at Manon, who didn't even say anything, she just cried. Her tears made me sadder still and soon I couldn't help it; the tears were pouring over my eyelids, and choked sobs came out from my throat. I clung to Manon until a hand tapped my shoulder. Reluctantly I turned around and faced Izzy, she spread her arms wide for a hug, a small smile on her face. I grinned and hugged her with all my might. As much as I loved, all my friends, Izzy was the first friend I knew and so she was special to me that way.

"Take care, don't get kidnapped!" she whispered into my ear. I laughed. Amazing advice.

I turned around to look at Catriona, who looked like she didn't know what to do; a first. I raised my eyebrows at me and she opened her mouth to say something but no sound came out.

"No good bye hug then?" I asked with my eyebrows raised, trying to remain cheerful even though there was a huge lump in my throat. I turned to leave but I was almost bowled over by her weight. I laughed as I nearly stumbled into the floor and turned around to face her.

"Hey that waterproof makeup really works," she said a shocked look on her face.

"Thank God, I'd probably look like a clown right now," I laughed.

"A nightmarish clown," she added before hugging me. I sniffled as we embraced – cheesy line. I was really going to miss them all, it felt like my chest was tearing into two pieces. I pulled away from them and wiped my tears away. I sniffled and tried to smile. They stared back at me with wide, damp eyes and blotchy cheeks. I probably looked the same.

I went forward towards my Mum, and clung to her like a monkey, grabbing her jumper by the fistful. "Promise me you'll stay in touch, Mum," I whispered and I felt her smile "Promise me, you won't forget." My mum untangled herself from my iron-like grip and smoothed my hair, wiped the tears from my cheeks and eyes and held my hands.

"I promise," she said looking into my eyes "There's no way I won't. Are you sure you want to do this? I mean I'm not going to see you for six months and even then you'll only be here for two weeks," she said as behind her my friends gave several sobs. I nodded, the lump in my throat making it difficult to form any proper words. She pulled me up to my full height and kissed my forehead.

"Now Go. Something tells me Mr Lee is impatient to get going," I turned around to see him anxiously tapping his foot as boy around my age stood with him. I turned back to Mum, and picked up my suitcase and before my nerve went, started walking backwards in the direction of Mr Lee shouting "I love you so much. I already miss you!"

"Don't forget your manners!" My mum shouted after me, I laughed and turned back around, and walked towards Mr Lee and the boy. As I approached them I held out my hand to shake theirs and a cheery smile.

"Hi! I'm Cammi-" I tried to start but I was quickly cut off by a yell from behind me.

"YO CAMMIE! TRY NOT TO SNOG TOO MANY BOYS WHILST YOU'RE GONE!" and before I could react, the disappearing figure of Catriona was gone past the door.

The cheeky bastard!

I turned back to the boy and Mr Lee, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. The boy smirked back down at me, a mischievous glint in his eyes, my cheeks went a deeper shade of red. Now that I was up close, I could see that he was good-looking … very good-looking. He was taller than I was, with deep green eyes, thick wavy dark brown hair, sharp jaw-line and masculine figure. Despite this his eyes gave away the fact that he was still a kid at heart, I decided I liked him, he seemed fun.

"Maybe we could sort something out …" he said sending me a wink. I take everything I said about him back. He was the most annoying jerk I've ever met! If I wasn't determined to not look like an idiot, my mouth would have been hanging open.

"She was just kidding! I'm not that kind of person!" I said indignantly. This was going to be one long flight … I turned back to Mr Lee who was wearing a confused expression, and brushed away any thoughts of annoyance.

"Hi! I'm Cammie, and sorry about my friend …" I said holding out my hand. Mr Lee smiled and took it in his own, shaking it briskly up and down.

"It's lovely to finally meet you Ms Morgan. We have a long journey to Incheon Airport and after that a fairly long journey to the building and dorms in Seoul. Apparently some of your roommates are going to meet you at the airport."

Roommates? I hadn't thought of that? What if they didn't like me? Oh God, they were going to be stuck-up bitches.

These were the thoughts that invaded my mind as I spent that long 14 hour journey on the plane to the airport. Frequently, the boy kept annoying me. Frequently, I asked him to stop. It was only now that I realised there was no turning back, that I realised just how much I was going to miss my friends. The hole in my heart didn't help anything, I felt almost lost and alone now that they were gone.

_Amu saenggak eobsi gireul geotneunde __**(Walking on the road with an empty mind)**_

_Jakku nunmuri nawa __**(As tears keep flowing down)**_

_Niga itda eobseunikka sumeul swil su eobseo__** (I can't breathe now that you're no longer here)**_

_Gyeote eobseunikka meomul sudo eobseo __**(I can't stay because you aren't with me)**_

_Naneun jugeoganeunde neoneun jigeum __**(I'm slowly dying because you're not here)**_

_eomneunde eomneunde eomneunde__** (Anymore, anymore, anymore)**_

_Niga itda eobseunikka useul suga eobseo__** (I can't smile because you're not here)**_

_Gyeote eobseunikka manggajyeoman ganeun nae moseubi __**(I hate seeing myself break down)**_

_Neomu sirheo nan nan ije gidael got jocha eobseo __**(Now, I have no-one to depend on)**_

"Whatcha listening to Cammie," the boy asked me looking over my shoulder. I shrugged away from him.

"Sistar19," I mumbled out, irritated that he had interrupted me from my thoughts.

"Aah. Which one, Ma Boy or the new one … what it called … urgh what's it's name. It's ridiculously long isn't it." He went on and on, I put up with his annoying musings for about 10 seconds before snapping at him.

"Gone - Not Around Any Longer!" I practically shouted. His face lit up with recognition.

"I knew it," I stared at him inquisitively "I just wanted to annoy you," he admitted with a grin on his annoying face.

I glared at him then turned around refusing to speak to him.

"Aww Cammie, come on I was only messing with you! Come on, don't be like this," I eventually turned around.

"let's play twenty questions," I suggested turning towards him with a glint in my eye, he raised an eyebrow "I don't even know you're name," I defended myself. He smiled and so he started.

"I'm Zach. Zach Goode." And so the game went on. I learnt that he didn't have a Dad and he grew up in Connecticut, and had always known about K-Pop because his friend was Korean. He was interested in sports and playing the guitar, and so in my mind I immediately decided that he was the cool, flirty kind of guy. By the end of hours of playing the game, and of teasing me, I decided he wasn't that bad but he was still annoying. For example: after learning where I went to school he quickly came up with a nickname – Gallagher Girl. I hated it. It was so unoriginal and it had too many syllables, but against my wishes he kept calling me it saying it would grow on me. I promised him it wouldn't and that if he kept calling me it then I would kill him.

Eventually we both must have fallen asleep because I found myself being shaken awake by Mr Lee. It didn't take me long to realise that I'd fallen asleep, on Zach's shoulder his arm on my lap. I quickly bolted upright.

"Ms. Morgan we've landed at Incheon Airport." Mr Lee's calm voice spoke, and instantly all my previous fears flooded my mind.

Oh God please help me.

**Okay please don't shoot me. Please, but I really hope to get back into Fanfiction and this so hopefully updates will become more frequent. Unfortunately I am in the first year of my GCSE's and so all my studies are really important. I will try my hardest, it's one of my New Year's resolutions. Since this is a side fun sort of project I will briefly mention shout-outs. Thank you to , Cookieluver15, IamMe03, hotter-than-hot! Okay so hopefully you all enjoy this! THE SONG IS 'GONE NOT AROUND ANY MORE' BY SISTAR19 (A SUBUNIT OF SISTAR) AND THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER'S SONG WAS 'INTO THE NIGHT SKY' BY AFTER SCHOOL-RED A SUBUNIT OF AFTER SCHOOL BOTH ARE AWESOME SONGS PLEASE CHECK THEM OUT! Also Zach's here and I wonder who's gonna be at the airport ... ;)**

**Powerof923**

**Woop!**


	6. Chapter 5

You'll Never Make It On Your Own

Chapter 5

My heart in my throat I quickly disembarked the plane and walked through security. I collected my bags from the spinning carousel. Unlike the airports back home, Incheon Airport was surprisingly efficient. Everywhere I looked men in business suits walked about talking on Bluetooth's. Women were smartly dressed not in business suits exactly, but they were well manicured. Every one of them was perfectly groomed and well-kept. It was weird walking into such a world after living in America for all my life. Children didn't run around, they kept by the parents sides, but they didn't look miserable, they seemed happy.

I followed Mr Lee and Zach through the long corridors that would lead me to the foyers. Everywhere I looked my reflection stared back at me in the shiny floors and walls. It seemed like there was impossibly not a speck of dust. With a start I thought about just how different my life was going to be from now on with a pang I started to miss home already. Was I excited? Yes, but for now I was just nervous.

"Pretty much none of Seoul and Incheon is as clean as this," Mr Lee's voice came from in front. I gave a sigh of relief, at least not everywhere was as unnaturally clean as this. It was comforting to think that maybe this city would be like many at home.

"It's just because the Airport is relatively new. The Airport has won awards as one of the nicest in the world!" he said it with such vigour, as if he was really pleased. Zach looked at me as if to say 'yippee' sarcastically and I couldn't help but let out a giggle.

Suddenly, the corridor stopped and we walked out into one of the biggest rooms, I've ever seen in my life. The wide open ceiling towered above us. Triangular glass panels making it seem even larger. People bustled about heading to and from different areas. Electronic voices muttered words I couldn't understand over the loudspeaker, and people down on the floor mumbled conversations between each other. All the while Mr Lee kept wandering over to the far side by a set of banners.

Over on this far side, the crowds of people began to disperse and even out and I could make out a tall guy around the age of 16 (so Zach and I's age then) casually leaning against a post. He was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt, with a cardigan on top but that wasn't what drew my attention to him. The guy was a work of art! Thick, blonde hair, tanned caramel skin and blue eyes. I was the only one who noticed him, a number of women surrounding him were staring but it was if he never noticed. But the thing that was most surprising about him was the fact that he was most definitely not Korean. In fact he looked like he had no Asian heritage whatsoever, he was just an all-American boy. Mr Lee stopped walking when we reached the guys side and he quickly got up from leaning and bowed to Mr Lee and us.

"Hi, I'm Grant, your new room-mate," he said holding out his hand to Zach. Mr Lee seemed to smile and nod his head at 'Grant' and he smiled almost visibly relaxing. Zach took his hand other and smiled in response before introducing himself.

"Grant, do you know where Miss Baxter is?" Mr Lee asked. Grant shook his head. "So she is late then. That makes three times this week," he trailed off muttering rapid-fire Korean under his breathe. We stood that way for five minutes in an awkward silence. Mr Lee continued to mumble profanities under his breath whilst Zach and Grant had a conversation. I had to hand it Zach, he knew how to work his way around people. A loud clattering made me look up from the floor. A young girl was running in through the doors. She looked around for a bit and then spotted us and ran in our direction, tying her hair in a ponytail as she did and zipping up a hoodie.

"Sorry! Sorry! _Mianhae_!" she said as she half stumbled into people, several times earning her glares. She skidded into a halt in front of us and quickly bowed at 90 degrees.

"I'm so, so, so sorry Mr Lee!" she said pleadingly into her eyes. Mr Lee didn't look impressed with her. He frowned at her, his arms folded and his eyebrow raised.

"I'm waiting for an explanation Miss Baxter," he said.

"It's just … it's ... I mean there … was a lot of traffic on the motorways," my future roommate managed to get out in between deep breaths, panting after what looked like a long sprint. Mr Lee nodded and she visibly relaxed.

"I'll let you off this one time Miss Baxter," Mr Lee smiled and 'Baxter' smiled back before heading over to me. She looked me up and down and I gulped. So this was who I was going to be sharing a bedroom with.

"Hi! I'm Bex, your future guide as to how to get on the teacher's good sides!" Bex started off, but was interrupted by Mr Lee who coughed violently.

"I mean, your future room-mate and hopefully friend," Bex said in a very slow, sarcastic voice. She winked at me and I held back a laugh. Something told me that I was going to be getting on very well with Bex, she was so much like Catriona.

"Good then, we've all be introduced now let's get going," Mr Lee cried and hurried away. Hesitantly we all followed after him into a large black, van which once we all in quickly set off. In the car we all got into quick conversations and despite being tired and hungry I quickly found myself wanting to stay awake. I watched as the city of Incheon quickly dissipated and turned into rolling hills covered in trees and large rice fields. It was so far from anything I knew in America that I couldn't help but stare. Soon though, they were gone as swiftly as they came and were quickly replaced with industrial, urbanised areas. Smaller satellite cities gave way to the capital of South Korea as we raised down the motorways.

I found out a lot about Bex on that journey and about Grant too. Grant was from Vancouver, Canada and had been here for four years already. He was 16 years old but had been 12 when his Dad's job had transferred him to Seoul. Not long afterwards he joined SM Entertainment when he auditioned in a talent competition. Bex's story however was similar to mine. She'd come from London, England and was 17 years old but

had auditioned 2 years ago and joined through the internet. They were both so friendly and polite, that I forgot that I'd only just met them.

The more I got to know them the more I began to see something else. It was subtle at first but definitely there, in the way that Bex eyed Grant when he wasn't looking, or the way that Grant laughed at all of Bex's jokes even if they weren't that funny (not that many of them weren't funny she was hilarious!). I looked at Zach and he smirked as if to say he'd been thinking the same thing; they so had a crush on each other.

I couldn't help but be in awe of Seoul as we travelled further down into the centre.

_Areumdawo sarangseureowo __**(Beautiful, Loveable)**_

_Keurae neo hey keurae baro neo hey __**(You, Hey! Yes you, Hey!)**_

_Areumdawo sarangseureowo__** (Beautiful, Loveable)**_

_Keurae neo hey keurae baro neo hey __**(You, Hey! Yes you, Hey!)**_

_Chigeumbu-teo kal dekkaji kabol-kka __**(Now let's go forward until the end!)**_

_Oppan gang-namseutayil__** (Oppa has Gangnam Style!)**_

_Kang-namseutayil __**(Gangnam Style!)**_

_Oppan gang-namseutayil__** (Oppa has Gangnam Style!)**_

_Kang-namseutayil (G__**angnam Style!)**_

_Oppan gang-namseutayil __**(Oppa has Gangnam Style!)**_

_Eh- sexy lady __**(Hey! Sexy lady)**_

_Oppan gang-namseutayil __**(Oppa has Gangnam Style)**_

_Eh- sexy lady (__**Hey! Sexy Lady)**_

_O-oo-o_

The van pulled up by a large glass filled sky scraper. Bex held the door open for me.

"Welcome home. Come on, I'll show you around."

**How about this for a quick update! Song is of course Gangnam Style by PSY Bye!**

**Powerof923**


	7. Chapter 6

**You'll Never Make It On your Own**

**Chapter 6**

Bex's hand grabbed my wrist and dragged me through a set of clear cut glass doors that lay at the foot of modern looking skyscraper. The words SM Entertainment were inscribed over the top in a large crisp font and I couldn't help but want to gulp.

Inside the main foyer was set out neatly. Glossy, marble-like surfaces all over the floors and main reception desk, an almost picture perfect woman sat at a computer, typing away with manicured fingers. She looked up when she saw us come through and smiled warmly at me.

"That's Sally," Bex said in a matter-of-fact way. I looked at her confused.

"Is Sally her real name?" I asked slightly surprised, that a Korean person would have the name 'Sally'. Bex threw back her head and laughed.

"Of course not! Her real name is Subin but when I first came here, I couldn't remember it so I called her Sally and well … I guess it just stuck!" I laughed at that, how she got Sally from Subin is beyond me. Bex sauntered up to talk to the pretty and obviously very kind Sally and I was left to look around the room. The roof was low-lying but the room still felt impressively big. Plants stood straight up in tall metallic pots. On the right hand side there was a collection of sofas and coffee tables, with a modern coffee machine; I was visiting that every day. The air although stuffy, smelt like a cleaning detergent but it wasn't at all harsh, it was welcome from the city's fumes. I decided I might just like it here. Bex's voice cut me off from my thoughts.

"Yo Cammie! You coming or what?" I turned around to face her nodding and couldn't help but feel how lucky I'd gotten. Bex was such a nice person, maybe all the others would be as well. I followed Bex down a thin corridor to a set of lifts. Bex pushed the button and then lent back against the wall as we waited for it to come.

"There are 35 floors so it could take a while," she joked and I grinned "Don't worry about your suitcase, someone will sort that out but don't expect to be waited on hand and foot. That's what Macey did when she got here, she quickly learnt. They treat you nicely the first day and then BAM! Like the rest of us; it's a lot of hard work, and there are so many nights where I go to bed exhausted … at like 07:30 but still, it's so much fun!"

I nodded, trying to soak in all the information, always be prepared and give 100% essentially was what Bex was saying. A loud ding from the lift announced its arrival, revealing a tall man in a t-shirt and jeans. His entire face was hard-set and tight-lipped, his posture raiser straight. There was no humour glimmering in his eyes, instead they were unfeeling, emitting a frosty stare that almost made me shiver. Bex immediately stiffened and bowed.

"Annyeonghaseyo (**Good afternoon**) Mr Kwon," she said in a very formal voice and then motioned for me to do the same. The man nodded stiffly at her before walking away and I swear I saw Bex visibly relax when he was out of hearing distance.

"Who was he?" I asked, out of curiosity as Bex hurried into the lift. She looked at me and sighed

"Mr Kwon, the Korean master. He's like mega strict, and let's face it Korean is NOT easy to learn!" I felt my blood freeze up, oh God, I didn't know any Korean. How did this not even occur to me as a problem before? I felt like the biggest idiot in the world, what kind of person considers going to a foreign country to live their but doesn't think about the fact that they're not going to be able to understand a word any one says.

"Is Korean that difficult?" I asked Bex nervously, she eyed my anxious face and smiled.

"You get used to it, besides you're living in Korea, that really helps," she looked up as the lift started to ascend. "Dorms are on the top few floors, practice and lesson rooms in the middle. The Biggies use the lower floors all to themselves, lucky sods. They're the best!"

"The Biggies?" I cut her off "Who are they?" She rolled her eyes as if to say I was the most stupid person in the whole world.

"The famous ones, the ones in groups. Duh!" she said it in the most obvious way, that I actually believed I was stupid. I stayed silent for the rest of the journey, until we reached our floor – number 33 – and what I saw next, I was not prepared for. A long thin corridor, spread out before me with doors on either side painted with un-inspired beige. The walls were just plain white but scuff marks from all the years made them closer to something that resembled lead. The corridor split up into many more at the end, and more and more after that. And all over the musty green carpet floor were odd socks, crisp wrappers and pencils. Rubbish here and there. I wouldn't have called it a tip but it was getting there. It was so contrasting to the Reception foyer downstairs I could've gasped. Bex turned around and started to walk backwards her arms spread apart in a 'welcome' sort of gesture.

"Home sweet home!," she took in my expression "it's quite different from downstairs ain't it" I gave a small nod, the smell of P.E. changing rooms starting to fill my nose. "We have to tidy the corridors and our dorms every day because … well it gets quite messy." Bex said looking around uneasily.

"You can say that again," I said still in shock.

"It gets quite messy," Bex replied with a grin "Come on this way!"

She set off down the corridor, passing door after door after door. She turned right then left, then left again before walking to the very end of a corridor and stopping in front of yet another beige door with the letters '3367' on the front. She knocked on it briskly.

"It's me and I come with a present!" she said loudly. After a couple of seconds a shout came from the other side in a southern Alabama accent.

"Is it newbie? Wait one sec whilst we close the curtain, save the best till last!" There was a lot of awkward scuffling noises and several angry whispers which then followed, during which Bex mouthed sorry several times. Then all too suddenly the door opened to reveal the tiniest girl I've ever seen in my life.

Okay, so she wasn't tiny as in she was small (although she was quite petite) she was tiny because she was so thin. Yet she still didn't look anorexic - the fact that she was eating a biscuit didn't help with that thought either. Her blonde hair swooped in carefree waves to her shoulders and her face was sprayed with a handful or so of freckles. She smiled warmly and waved.

"Hi! I'm Liz, it's so nice to meet you finally!" I realised now she was the one with the Alabama accent, and it was sweet to hear. She sounded so carefree and fun, she gestured to the room behind her and Bex quickly went in. I took a deep breath, this was going to be my home for the next … however many years. I sent a quick prayer.

I walked through the door, down a thin passageway and past two small alcoves. One contained a desk and a bookshelf and the other one had a door in front of it, I'm guessing it was the bathroom. Bex pointed to my shoes and I quickly too k the off along with my coat and Bex took them from me to hang them up, whilst I followed Liz down to the end of the passage. Here it widened it a medium sized rectangular room. Decent enough for four girls. There were two sets of bunk beds at opposite ends of the walls, and rug on the scratchy carpeted floor. In one corner there was probably one of the smallest TV's I'd ever seen in the world but it was a luxury none the less. Several text books were strewn on the floor along colourful cushions and bean bags. There were four chests of drawers and then that was it. The walls were white, the décor simple, it was small but it was cosy.

A long-legged girl sat on a purple bean bag in a corner, her nose buried in a book. When she saw me enter she got up and smiled at me. Now, I could see her face, I realised she was devastatingly beautiful. Thick jet-black hair hung in a straight curtain to her chin, contrasting her flawless, porcelain skin. Her pink voluptuous lips and green eyes stood out, from a face that set on a body with a perfect figure.

"Hi! I'm Macey," she said giving me a small wave. She was still dressed in sweats, but managed to look runway-fresh. Now that I realised that, I could now see they all were; maybe they were exercising earlier.

"Welcome to the All-American Dorm!" she continued with a grin.

Bex coughed.

"All English Speaking Dorm!" she corrected holding the same grin. I looked at Bex with my eyebrows raised, she merely shrugged.

"I'm a Patriotic Brit. Deal with it." She said calmly and after a minute's silence we all started laughing. And like that, I began to forget I ever had doubts about meeting my future room-mates; they were awesome and something told me that I was going to be just fine.

* * *

><p>And that's pretty much how the evening went. We talked and chatted, we played truth or dare with a left over can of Coke, we ate the marshmallows that Macey had snuck in from a local newsagent – turns out eating and drinking were not allowed in the dorms. Eventually we almost feel asleep watching variety shows on the mini TV. Wrapped in the duvets from our beds I couldn't help but feel safe with my new found friends. Liz provided a translation for me, since the other two were pretty much fluent. She'd been here the longest - almost 4 years – and was now fluent in Korean. Macey was the worst (except for me) but even she knew enough to get by on watching the programme only occasionally asking a question as to what someone just said. She'd only come two years ago but, in my mind if she'd managed to become so good at Korean that quickly, then I might not need to worry.<p>

Suddenly a fairly loud bell ripped through the air. The girls beside me jumped before looking at a watch on Liz's wrist.

"Warning bell," she said quickly "go, Go, GO!" and with those words the three of them got up, throwing the duvets on the beds, gathering up all the text books, ordering items of clothing and hiding the evidence of the Cola and marshmallows. I all but watched on in amazement as almost instantly the room became spick and span. This must have been the tidy up Bex was describing. There was a knock on the door and Macey ran to get it open.

"Oh Grant! It's you, what do you want?" she said out of breathe. I looked over to see Grant at the door. I waved and he waved back at me with a smile. He held up a blue sock in his right hand and handed it to Macey.

"Bex's sock," he explained at which Bex got up quickly and ran to the door.

"Only one?" she asked quickly and Grant nodded, much to Bex's apparent dismay "Damn it! How much time left Liz? Kwon's on patrol tonight!" she said looking over her shoulder. I looked around to see Macey staring at me with an amused expression; obviously finding my confusion funny. Liz shouted back to Bex that she had two minutes to get there and back and I watched as Bex almost jumped with panic.

"Grant! Where did you find the sock!" she yelled out, clutching onto his shoulders. Grant meanwhile looked bewildered; an expression which did not do his Greek God like features justice.

"Down by the lift why –" but he didn't have time to finish because Bex took off down the hallway, letting out a loud "Oh God!" as she went. Meanwhile, Liz, Macey and I finished tidying in the room.

A few minutes later, Bex burst through the door yelling "he's coming!"

She lunged for a certain drawer and stuffed the other sock in just as the door opened to reveal a cold faced Mr Kwon.

* * *

><p>Needless to say we passed that tidying session – just. Mr Kwon was even 'hospitable' towards me, something Bex warned would never happen again. I was currently in the bathroom with Macey, brushing my teeth when I felt the urge to ask her a question.<p>

"Macey, you know the number on the door," I started and she turned to me toothbrush in hand, swirling Listerine in her mouth "what does it stand for. Is it like there are 67 rooms on this floor?" Macey pulled back her hair and rinsed her mouth out.

"Sort of we're in the 67th room on the 33rd floor but there are 80 rooms per floor there's 7 btw." So many. There were hundreds of people at the academy, I thought it would have been more select than that, I'd have to fight against all those people to become famous.

"That's an immense number …" I trailed off under my breath but Macey heard me.

"Oh, they're not all full," she said in a cocky sort of voice.

"What do you mean …" I asked, painfully aware of the devious glint in her eye.

"Well, when SM first started it was the first of its kind. The other companies didn't really exist, or at least have anything like it, you know –YG, JYP, Cube, Pledis etc. So they welcomed pretty much anyone they could get in, hence there being so many here. Now they can afford to be more selective. Most rooms are usually full but only for short periods of time," she explained.

"Why only short periods?" I asked again curious this time getting the better of me.

"Because not many last longer than a year," she replied bluntly and I was slightly shocked at her response. Did that mean she didn't expect me to last? She barely even knew me?

"They either transfer to another company lured by false promises, they get kicked out because they're not good enough, or they quit because it's too hard." I felt my stomach drop. It did not sound as pleasant as I'd begun to think.

"Oh." Was all I could manage.

"Don't worry you'll be fine," she said looking at me "1) you got a scholarship, that means they're not kicking you out any time soon. 2) You're rooming with us and they wouldn't put you with us unless they thought you were going for the long-haul," she grinned at me.

"So you guys are going for the home-run then?" I said with a smile and she nodded as if to say duh.

"I've had too many dodgy or OCD roommates to give up now!" she joked and I laughed, finishing off cleaning my teeth before walking to my bed. However, when I entered the bedroom, I found Liz and Bex standing by a large curtain that I'd never really noticed before.

Byeol-i bitnaneun areumdaun bam-iya-iya **(It's a star twinkling, this beautiful night)**

I bam-i yeongwonhagil nae soneul jababwa **(I hope this night lasts forever, hold my hand)**

Pureun dalbichi areumdaun bam-iya-iya **(The blue moonlight makes this a beautiful night)**

Nawa jeo haneuleul geoleobwa **(Walk across that sky with me)**

I'm yours neomani nareul seollege hae I'm outta control **("" – only you can make my heart race – "")**

I'm yours Nobody amudo neol daeshinhalsu eobseo **(I'm yours nobody, nobody can take your place)**

Nal michigehae **(You drive me crazy)**

"We were waiting till night-time," Liz explained "This is the best part of the room." She winked at Bex as she pulled the flimsy material back and I gasped.

There 33 floors below, lay Seoul. And it was breathtakingly pretty. Covered in thousands of tiny fluorescent lights, it twinkled in the inky blackness. The streets were golden in colour and I watched everyone walk on them below. I had never seen a city this pretty before in my life and there in the darkness with my new-found friends it really felt like the city was alive. As if Seoul had a soul.

"It's beautiful," I said and we continued to stare at the scene. Eventually though another bell went off in the corridors and Liz dragged us away from the window, shutting the curtain in the process.

"Bedtime!" she shouted cheerily and we all clambered into the bunk beds, I was sharing with Bex on the bottom bed and even though I usually preferred the top, I was too tired to care. I settled down to a nice long sleep ready for the long first day tomorrow. Everything was perfect. Everything that is until Liz said,

"Setting the alarm clock for 05:30."

Wait, WHAT!

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am very sorry! I've had controlled Assessments and I would tell you that but I hate giving false hope out in the form of just an Authors note in a chapter. Anyway so now we've met the gang, we're in Seoul and the story can really begin! Shout-outs to … (drum roll) … shaziestyle, hotter-than-hot, Guest, Hurting with a smile, Uknowiloveu, FallingWalls, narisadar, Juliette-Tiggy, beamarielirazan, cocky-gurl, and . . Thank you to all of you so the song for this chapter is … BEAUTIFUL NIGHT by BEAST! Watch it, it's pretty epic. I wanted to get there smash hit FICTION into the story instead of 'Beautiful Night' but this song fit the story so well right now. So as you know, each chapter I'm going to include a K-Pop song, to steer you towards some of the hottest badns and songs in K-Pop. So far we have don 2NE1, 4Minute, Beast, Sistar19, PSY and After School RED. After School RED and Sistar19 are actually sun-units (smaller separate groups made of a few members from a major group) but that still means I can still get they're major groups After School and Sistar into the story. For now the rule is one band per chapter and that is they're dedication, they won't feature again but I will try my best to get every major band featured. WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEOS I AM STEERING YOU TOWARDS SOME INSANELY GOOD SONGS HERE (and every single on is purchasable via iTunes *thumbs up*) So watch watch watch and I will see you guys soon!<strong>

**Powerof923**

**Woop!**


	8. Chapter 7

You'll Never Make It On Your Own

Chapter 7

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

I groaned involuntarily. But the incessant noise continued.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

"Why oh why does the World hate me?" I grumbled and was a shocked to find an answering grunt. I gasped and looked in the direction of the noise. It was only then that I realised I wasn't in my usual room. And then it dawned on me. I was in Seoul, in my new home. The thought made me tremble with excitement. The adrenaline rush of the new environment clearly hadn't worn off yet.

I looked over at the clock that had so rudely woken me up against my will. 05:30 in the freaking morning. You have got to be kidding me. I groaned, overcome with how tired I was a flopped further down into the squishy mattress. Whilst squeezing my eyes shut, there was a pitter-pattering of feet on carpet and then a whirring noise and then –

"IT'S TOO FREAKING EARLY!" _My thoughts exactly Bex, my thoughts exactly._ I leant up in bed, narrowly missing the roof on my forehead. I hurriedly put my hand as the usual dizziness overtook my vision. Head rush. I was beginning to get them more and more frequently, and for longer and longer periods of time. Alas, it will pass they always do.

I heaved myself down onto the ground, the carpet cold against my toasty feet. Walking slowly over to my suitcase where I'd only half un-packed last night, I rooted around and found the daily necessities. Sweat clothes, hair brush, toiletries, knickers, bra, etc. I walked into the bathroom and groggily pulled them on. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I realised just how tired I looked. Somewhere between a ghost and a panda. _Great, way to make an impression on your new classmates that are probably so much better than you_. I started to wash my face with cold water and apply the lightest amount of foundations possible – what I was poor now; I couldn't afford to waste good makeup!

When I got out of the bathroom, the rest of my roommates were already up and running dressed in exercise wear just like me.

"Why do we have to go for a run?" I asked feeling 'the burn' already.

"Because it's mandatory for students to do 5k at least every two to three days. You came on an unlucky day" Macey explained.

"But why?" I asked half-heartedly whining now.

"Because to survive you need to be fit, really fit," Macey said less jokingly and I suddenly I remembered our conversation the night before. All of a sudden I didn't mind the run so much.

* * *

><p>We left the building making sure to take huge sips at the water fountain near the lift on our floor. Bex said I'd need every drop of water I could get.<p>

When we made it to the ground floor and out to the main entrance of the building I saw another group of girls all of mixed ages waiting around. All of them were very beautiful, all of them were very thin and they were all looking at me.

"What are they looking at?" I whispered to Bex even though I knew the answer.

"What do you think? Fresh meat," she said grinning at me. _Fresh meat?_ "We haven't had a new girl in a while and the last one that left was Lily. She was really popular and our ex-roommate. Most students in this place come and go, I don't know half of their names or faces. But this bunch of 25-30. Yeah, they're the long haulers. Just the fact that you're with them on the first day – no! Just the fact that you're our roommate – means that you're good. And although we're all close friends now , in the end this will end up as a competition."

I started to open and close my mouth. So now I had a reputation to fill AND I looked like a fish. Great.

"Oh, don't worry though they'll love you! I do anyway" she said before jogging ahead to join the others leaving me to wander closely behind like a loner.

When I got closer I could hear Bex, Macey and Liz talking in rapid Korean to another girl. Stunning like the others with big eyes, black as night hair and a dainty physique. She screamed confidence.

* * *

><p><span>Third Person POV<span>

"_Hey! Who's the newbie_," Miyun asked the three English speakers before her.

"_New girl? Cammie, she's our roommate_" Bex said back fluently in Korean, ready to gage the Miyun's response.

"_Your roommate. Huh, she's obviously got game. We better see if she's got the spunk to compete then_," she replied not so much as looking up from her self-manicured nails.

"_She got the scholarship_," Macey responded and watched as Miyun froze and looked up at 'Cammie' with a new wonder in her eyes.

"_You were the last one to get a scholarship, Macey. Weren't you," _but she didn't wait for an answer. "_She better be nice_," Miyun said slowly after mulling over her thoughts for a while "_I can't bear people who are too confident or too shy to do anything._"

"_She seemed really great last night_," Liz said "_charismatic even. You'll like her_" Miyun's smile widened.

"_Good. I need to have people I get on with when I'm in a group_" and she walked over to the newbie to make herself known.

* * *

><p><span>Cammie's POV<span>

"And GO!"

I set off slowly so as not to run out of energy later. 5,000 metres was a long way and I didn't want to make myself look rubbish. Shocked I watched as everyone else set off past me leaving choking on their dust.

"Come on newbie!" I heard someone shout and saw the girl Bex, Macey and Liz were talking to –Miyun – urging me on over her shoulder. She'd turned out to be everything I'd envisioned her to be when I first saw her; confident and perfect. At least she was nice. I'd decided quickly that I liked her much to Bex's apparent relief – it turns out that like Bex you don't want to be on Miyun's bad side.

I started to increase my jogging pace, determined not to be the slow coach in the pack. Soon enough I was running along Miyun's side.

"Alright there newbie? Thought you'd want some company!" she said cheerily not sounding out of breath at all. When the blind through her face, it gave a wind machine effect. When it blew through mine I resembled a squinting badger. You can imagine I felt ever so slightly at a disadvantage.

"How come you're so good at English?" I asked her. Although it was accented, she spoke really fluently. She laughed.

"Languages are something I have always been good at. I do not know how … my cousin lives in Minnesota, and he teaches me and helps me practice. However, I am from Busan down in the south" I nod understandingly. She turns to face me as we approach the half-way mark. By now most of the other students are out of sight in the distance as we jog alongside the Han River. Seoul, though slightly more run down than some of the towns and cities in Virginia was charming, the typical Asian style buildings blending harmoniously with the modern glass skyscrapers, department stores and parks. The backstreets were filled with electricity pylons, peeling paint and quaint run-down shops whereas the main fronts were glossy and new like a newspaper compared to Vogue magazine. Every bit of the place came together to create this vibrant, mish-mashed city with character. It wasn't perfect and that's what made it perfect I guess.

"How come you don't run faster," I ask her. She smiles kindly.

"I thought that you would not feel so alone this way. I can afford one bad run anyway. I always am near the front, I could just say I am not feeling that well," I smile at her gratefully. It was so thoughtful of her to slow down. Mind you if I was in her position I would've used any excuse to slow down. _No! That was not the right kind of attitude Cammie fix that!_

_Tto han beon deo baewosseo __**(I Learned one more time)**_

_I will never forget about you, yeah! __**(Pretty self-explanatory)**_

_Keojyeosseo nan ganghage deo nopge __**(I grew stronger and higher)**_

_Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah! __**(Pretty self-explanatory!)**_

_Step it up step it up dasi sijagiya __**(Step it Up, Step it Up, it's the beginning again)**_

_Tto temporeul ollyeoseo apjilleo gallae __**(I will outrun you by speeding up the temp again)**_

_Just step it up step it up da boran deusi __**(Just Step it Up, Step it Up, for everyone to see)**_

_Keuge bollyum nopyeo baby my baby __**(Turn up the volume baby, my baby)**_

* * *

><p>We continued like this chatting and running down the morning jog route. Usually talking and exercising would've made me more tired but this time I wasn't so bothered. It comforted me to see someone other than my roommates be nice to me. It didn't make feel like so much of an outsider, the fact that I wasn't Korean already made me self-conscious and determined.<p>

Eventually after 37 long agonising minutes we finally reached the end, Bex, Liz and Macey standing their cheering me on and some other students catching their breath on the floor. They all looked up when I came in – last – and some smirked but suddenly stopped for some reason.

"Come on Cammie, BREAKFAST!" Liz shouted at me. I groaned; I was not in the mood for eating right this second. That required energy I didn't have. She grabbed my hand and started to pull me back inside the SM Entertainment building to what I presumed was the Canteen. I didn't bother looking back to Miyun, if I had I would've seen her give a thumbs up to the 30 odd Korean girls there and mouth.

"_joh-eun,"_ _**("good one")**_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So it's been a long time. Option for your choice of punishment here <strong>

Slap to my face

Kick where the sun don't shine (even though I don't have nuts)

Stern finger wag and taunting with a wasp – I'm scared to death of them!

Murder with a pitchfork

**Whichever form of pain you choose, know I will cower in fear! The good news, is that all my exams are over (bar German and French Speaking, a Piano Exam and that's it) AND I have written the next few chapters so I can just upload them more frequently for a while!**

**Shoutouts go to (drum roll) … Uknowiloveu, bluebrat, dragovich11, Juliette-Tiggy, Bookluver123, Awsome KC2622, The terifical meee, animeismylife15 and !**

**Okay so the song for the chapter is ... '_STEP' by KARA_. They're a very popular group – one of the leading girl groups and I've taken a risk with adding them because they deal mostly with bubble gum pop. So prepare yourselves. Mind you for me, it ain't that bad, there's plenty worse bubble gum pop songs. Too much overly cuteness. But I think KARA find the right kind of balance –plus I like Hara! So this is one of the lesser bubble gum pop songs so enjoy! (For your adjustments sake to K-Pop I will try and include as minimal Bubble gum pop songs as possible but it is a major part of the culture so you have been warned!)**


	9. Chapter 8

**You'll Never Make It On Your Own**

**Chapter 8**

"Is this it?" I asked as I looked at the long line of mainly fruit, cereal bars and whole grain toast. My new found friends looked out me confused.

"It's all ridiculously healthy!" I exclaimed quite a bit louder than I had intended for it too sound and immediately became self-conscious when I noticed that the canteen was considerably quitter than two minutes ago. I felt my cheeks burn a bright red colour. I turned to Liz, who looked at me as if I was an idiot.

"Cammie, you do realise where you are, don't you?" she said under her breath hoping that the rest of the canteen would stop watching. Eventually they turned back to their own meals and the chatting continued. I turned to Liz, completely befuddled out of my mind.

"What do you mean," I asked slowly almost dreading the response I felt coming.

"Cammie, this ain't America anymore. You're in Korea now, the food here is not only generally healthier but it's also considered the norm. Not only that but you're trying to enter an industry that thrives on beauty and physical strength as well as talent and character," Liz said.

"So no junk food?" I whined. Bex shook her head but then winked at me. I was confused until I realised there was someone behind me. I turned to find Mr Kwon, as intimidating as ever standing behind me with cm to spare.

"Good morning Mr Kwon," I said in an almost you-have-a-gun-at-my-throat-and-I-don't-want-to-di e sort of voice. He stared me down, which was more difficult than it seemed as he was only a couple of inches taller than me.

"Is everything alright, Morgan," he asked in a monotone – but heavily accented – voice. I quickly nodded, determined not to piss him off. He looked at me with a hard stare for a few minutes trying to calculate whether I was lying or not before suddenly walking away. I heard everyone sigh behind me.

"Seriously Cammie, everything's healthy but after a while you get used to it," Bex said quickly as soon as Mr Kwon was out of ear-shot. I sighed inwardly, I'd never been that much of a healthy eater. The only reason I'd stayed relatively thin was due to doing more exercise than most people. I hated the idea of cutting out chocolate/sweets from my life on some crazy 'diet'. I grabbed a bowl of mixed fruit and went to sit at a long table already half-filled with other girls. I sat at the end and picked at my food not really in the mood to be talking to everyone at the table. I'd see them at different times anyway. I knew I was acting like a stroppy teenager but in all honesty I was tired and it was barely 09:00 am. I was suffering from a bit of jet lag and it was really taking a toll on me. After half a bowl I'd decided that fruit wasn't really on my agenda for the day and went to put the rest in the bin.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Macey whispered to me when everyone else was distracted. She'd sort of become my advice and guide on how to survive in the academy. Do I talk to new people? Yes. Do I avoid Mr Kwon? Yes. Do I spend more time learning Korean than practising dances and singing? For now.

"Why?" I asked sighing and desperately hoping she wouldn't make me eat the entire bowl. Sadly, fate was not on my side today.

"You've got normal lessons in the afternoon all day until 06:00 pm, you need the energy to survive the day mentally. Trust me. It's so bewildering trying to learn something but not understanding a single word the teachers say. They try but it's still hard communication-wise.," she said as if it was the norm. Which to her it was. Great, now as well as jet lag I had to stay awake all day. Thank you whoever had control of my life! Then what she'd said dawned on me.

"What! That long? Wait a second … how do you know my schedule?" I stared her down, she shrugged and pulled a white piece of paper with a timetable printed onto one side.

"On Saturday we have a half day off," she said nonchalantly. I stared at the long extended hours of exercising and learning; it seemed my entire future was filled with hard work and all I wanted to do was sleep. Gulping I told myself to suck it up, I'd signed myself up for this and I still wanted to do it. Eventually I'd become used to it so all would be well.

Reluctantly I sat back down but decided this time to at least mix with my new friends and make an effort. After 20 minutes I was one stage closer to knowing all of them.

By the end of this session I'm that bit closer to knowing them all but by personality only. Since most of them are Korean and have Korean names, it becomes a bit difficult to keep a name to them all. Another problem: once again I refer to_ they're Korean_. I don't speak Korean. They were all kind enough to try and speak English but the language barrier was definitely a problem. There was a _very _awkward moment when one girl – I think her name was Jungah but I'm not sure … - tried to ask me where I was from and when I responded "near Virginia Beach," she went

"Ah! You are virgin." To which Bex, Macey, Liz and I did a combined very noisy and very messy spit take. There was a second of silence before we burst out laughing. It took us a while to stop having a fit and explain to her what had happened because the look on everyone else's faces was so funny. Even Miyun didn't know what a virgin was so she was equally confused as to why we were laughing so hard we couldn't breathe.

"You meant … you are … a Virginian!" Bex cried in between rolling around on the floor. That just set me off again and I don't think we completely calmed down for the rest of the entire lunch period.

In the day not much really happened. It was almost like I hadn't left home really, apart from the different rooms, teachers, and students but you get the point. The actual subjects were just what we had been learning. It all made me start to feel quite homesick and by the end of the day I felt like bursting into tears. How could I have spent so much time, thinking only of myself and not my old friends and family back home at the Gallagher Academy? I made a promise to call them the minute my lessons finished.

It wasn't long until they did. In many ways I was quite glad that my first day hadn't been that eventful, I needed the time to get used to my surroundings and new life and also to recover from the mild case of jetlag that was bothering me. I was very lucky, there was always someone I knew in each of my classes and everyone was so kind. I couldn't help but be reminded in the back of my mind that one day I was going to have to compete against these sweet people, that one day they may just turn around and stab me in the back. The thought made me anxious, and wary that they were just pretending to be nice. But then I saw the way that Liz, Bex and Macey reacted with them; without a care in the world. I eventually came to the conclusion that if they trusted them enough to be friendly with them then I could trust them. I knew and trusted my new roommates to realise they had a good sense of judgement. Besides I couldn't go through the next few years without making any new friends or trusting no-one because then I would just go mad with loneliness.

Another thing that bugged me was that I hadn't seen Zach since the journey here yesterday, was he in any of my lessons at all? As much as it bothered me that I was thinking about him right now, I couldn't help but feel sad at the thought of him not being with me. It wasn't that I like-liked him – God no! – it was just that he was the first person I'd met here, even if he was the most annoying person I'd ever met in my entire life. Plus he wasn't half bad looking.

My scattered mind and all its thoughts came with me as I made my way to the canteen for tea that night. I had some homework and according to the teachers I could answer in English for now but eventually I'd have to answer in Korean; I wasn't looking forward to that day. Something told me that Korean lessons and Mr Kwon were going to be the future bane of my existence

I tried to fight my weary eyes as I followed Bex as she practically pulled me towards the canteen. As we started to drag behind everyone else, she slowed down and turned to face me.

"Hey, you okay?" she said slowly taking in my weary expression. My exhaustion wasn't helping the increasing amount of homesickness. I didn't want to worry her though, not after everything she'd done for me. I'd feel bad if I put a sad spin on Bex's day. She seemed like the kind of person who just wanted to be happy all the time. Today had started off so well, despite the run, but everything had just seemed effortless. Everyone else helped make me feel welcome and better and here I was crying.

_Nunmuri chaollaseo gogael deureo, __**(My eyes fill with tears so I lift my head up)**_

_Heureuji motage tto saljjak useo. __**(I smile a little so they won't fall)**_

_Naege wae ireoneunji, museun mareul haneunji, __**(Why are you like this to me? What are you saying?)**_

_Oneul haetdeon modeun mal jeo haneul wiro.__** (All the things we talked about go to the sky)**_

_Hanbeondo motaetdeon mal ulmyeonseo hal jureun na mollatdeon mal. __** (The words I have never said. The words I didn't know I'd say as I cried)**_

_Naneunyo, oppaga joheungeol eotteokhae __**(I like you boy, what do I do now?)**_

But despite everything going so well all I had to do was look up at her and she seemed to understand.

"Let me guess … cancer," my eyes widened, what?! "nope not that … pneumonia! No way you're boiling … I know … chlamydia, that's what's getting you down!" I started to laugh at her rubbish attempt to cheer me up. It worked but only like how a joke so bad makes you laugh at how bad it was.

"That was pathetic," I managed.

"Yeah, not some of my finest. Homesick?"

"And jetlagged," I finished for her and she just looked at me.

"I'll tell the others, they won't mind. We've all been through it before. I'll bring you dessert!" she called over her shoulder as she headed into the brightly canteen waving at me.

I turned around awkwardly grabbing my arms and started to try and make my way back through the maze of corridors until I finally found the lift to take me to our room. Tiredly I pushed the buttons for the 33rd floor and waited as the lift took its long ascent up to my room.

As soon as the doors dinged and opened I raced down the corridors using the room numbers as a key as to where I was going. Eventually I made it to my room, where I quickly opened it and dived in. I grabbed my phone off my bed and jumped under the duvet dialling the number for my mum all in a flash.

"Hello?" my Mum's voice came through the speakers and I didn't even try to stop the tears. I missed her way too much.

"Mum! It's me," I said trying to keep the sobs back. I could practically hear the worry in my Mums voice.

"Cammie, is that you? What's wrong? Please tell me everything's alright, I couldn't deal with it if everything was awful and I couldn't help you? Are there bullies there? Are the teachers alright? Was the work too hard?"

"Mum, I'm fine," I said laughing at her answer "Everyone's really nice." I could practically hear the confusion on my Mum's voice.

"Oh. Then why are you crying?" she said quizzically.

"Who said anything 'bout crying?" I joked but I sniffled just as I finished. I could feel my face turn red from the tears. Damn. If there was one thing about me, it was that I was not a pretty crier.

"Cammie, I can hear you."

"Okay fine, I guess I'm just a bit homesick," I said admitting the thoughts that had been on my mind for the past couple of hours. I stood up from my bed and walked over to the window, to look at Seoul as the night slowly crept into the sky. Glancing over at the clock I saw it was now 07:00. Huh, today went pretty fast.

"Oh Cammie … are you sure this was the right decision?"

"Mum! Yes … I'm positive. Now I'm here I really don't want anything else," and it was true. As cliché as it sounded, the minute I said it I realised it was true. Being here had only just fuelled my desire to become a K-Pop idol.

"Good … oh … hang on … someone wants to talk to you!" There was some shuffling on the other end of the phone signal and then the familiar voice of Catriona filled the line.

"Hey giiirl!" I heard her drawl in a false accent and I laughed through the tears.

"Heey!" I exclaimed drawing the sound out.

"Okay you're one speaker. Say hi everyone!" I heard a chorus of 'hello's' from the other end of the line and laughed. I'd missed my friends so much.

"Have you kissed the hottie from the plane yet," I hear Isabel shout and I laughed.

"No way in Hell! He's well annoying," I responded there was silence "okay so he's kinda cute," I admitted.

"God yeah!" I heard Catriona yell and we all laughed. And like that we just continued to talk for a further 5 minutes before my Mum's warning of phone bills stopped us.

"Guys tomorrow, I'll try and contact you through Skype," I said "cos you know, I can see you and it's free," there was a chorus of agreements.

"I miss you guys, I'll speak to you soon!" I shouted through the phone and my Mum finished the call with a quick 'bye darling' and like that they were gone.

I almost cried. But instead I decided to suck it up, crying wouldn't help anything now, it would only remind me of the homesick. If I tried to forget about it then it would probably in time just go. I went to the bathroom to sort out the mess my face had become. I splashed some cold water onto my face to get rid of the tear tracks and redness, and then reapplied my makeup. I'd just finished and was coming out of the bathroom, when my roommates stumbled through the door laughing and giggling. When they noticed me they started to look sympathetic.

"Guys, I'm fine," I said knowing they were worried about whether I was going to burst into tears. "Promise." Bex smiled

"Good! Because I brought you biscuits which I risked my life for! Especially since Kwon was on duty" she said holding out some digestives. I raised an eyebrow, but said an honest thank you.

"And …" Bex started and I smiled sensing there would be something else as well. "I have this!" she said reaching under her bed and pulling out a purple bar of chocolate; Cadbury's. I watched in amazement as Liz and Macey's faces lit up as they tried to grab it out of Bex's hand.

"Mine, mine, mine, mine!" they both squealed sounding very much like the seagulls from 'Finding Nemo' – oh how I love that film.

"Cammie's!" Bex shouted over the top of their voices and they both quietened down with pouts on their faces.

"My parents sent it in the post, Korean chocolate just doesn't compare to the taste of British or Western for that matter. Liz and Macey tell me you have Dairy Milks in the USA right? Go on make a choccie sandwich!" she said excited, I took the bar of chocolate from her and some of the biscuits

"I've never had Cadbury's before, what's it taste like?" I asked. The three of them looked at me with wide eyes.

"You've never had … you've never … Macey I'm gonna feint!" Liz said and fanned herself.

"Hershey's was always cheaper and you got more for the price," I explained but it obviously wasn't a good enough explanation. Bex all but shoved the bar under my nose whilst muttering 'eat it'.

I had to admit it did smell good. I tentatively took a bite. My taste buds melted. It was so good, and even though I'd never had it before, it reminded me of home. But not in a homesick kind've way more like in a nostalgic way. I quickly broke off some more pieces and shoved them between a pair of biscuits.

"It's like s'mores," I said and Macey and Liz nodded. Bex crinkled her nose.

"I don't care whatever fancy name you guys call a choccie sandwich but that's what I'm gonna stick with calling it … ooh choccie butty! Yeah I like that, from now on chocolate between two biscuits are called choccie butties! I declare it as such!" she said in a formal voice. We all laughed.

Yeah, I may be a little homesick but I had an amazing set of new friends. Not just my roommates but Miyun and all the other girls. I was going to be alright. I smiled. I was going to be more than alright.

Who knew I may even have the time of my life! In my mind that didn't sound as cliché as it came out … awkward silence. Better get some sleep for tomorrow's dancing schedule.

**AN: Hey! I know it's been a while, I was at CCF Camp – which by the way was awesome. Thank you for your choice of punishments! Lol . Anyway here are the shoutouts – in no particular order – (drum roll) … Guest, uknowiloveu, and bonfires lit up the shores, Guest, Sunshone, MigiLove2143, E (Guest)! Thank you for all your kind kind words *wipes tears* it humbles me so much just … I can't even!**

**Anyway the song for this chapter is 'GOOD DAY' BY IU. She's very popular and this song is really famous in Korea. It only sort of fits with this chapter so for that I apologise but I tried my best! There wasn't really one that fitted. The first few lines I suppose. The unique thing about this song is the sad words which contrast the happy melody. If you do look it up don't expect a ballad and also DON'T EXPECT ATYPICAL WESTERN SOUNDING SONG AS THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT AND QUITE JAZZY. **


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